Je T'aime
by agentstarkfbi
Summary: Destiel College!AU :) Castiel Novak begins school at the University of Kansas where he befriends Lisa Braeden. Everything is normal for Cas until he meets Lisa's ex-boyfriend, Dean Winchester. The two have a rocky relationship until Dean begins failing his french class and Professor Fitzgerald assigns his best student, Castiel, to be his private tutor.
1. Chapter 1

The blistering sun hung in the sky directly overhead, its form encompassed in a gorgeous sea of blue. There was not a single cloud in sight, allowing the bright, unobstructed rays to illuminate the University of Kansas campus below. Students bustled back and forth between the buildings in search of their new classes, the sizzling, late summer heat causing beads of sweat to form across their skin. The only relief from the heat came in the form of an occasional cool breeze, sweeping through the air around them and causing the green grass and blooming flowers to stir.

Castiel sat alone on a small wooden bench shielded by the bulk of a huge maple tree, glasses pushed up on the bridge of his nose and Psychology book in hand, as usual. While the other freshman had spent their first weekend of college partying, he had been preparing himself for his classes. Cas had always been more of the studying type – a fact which his grades greatly reflected – and he planned to keep it that way.

"Hey, Cas."

Castiel looked up, adjusting his glasses before focusing his bright blue eyes on those of a pretty, dark haired girl standing before him.

"Hi, Lisa." He smiled softly at the only friend he had managed to make over move-in weekend. He didn't particularly mind not having any friends – it was something he had become accustomed to over the years. Being social just really wasn't his thing, mostly due to his awkwardness around others. He didn't really talk to anyone, and no one ever really talked to him; unless, of course, it was to call him a "four-eyed freak", "cock sucker", or various other offensive terms. Except for Lisa. She was the only person that had ever actually tried to become his friend, and for that he was grateful.

Lisa smiled and sat next to him. "I thought I'd find you here." She chimed as she ruffled his messy black hair.

Cas frowned, earning a humorous laugh from his friend.

"I brought lunch." Lisa grinned as she pulled two sandwiches out of her backpack, along with a bottle of water for each of them. "I figured you'd be too busy reading to remember to eat some food before class."

"Thanks." Cas smiled awkwardly as he took the sandwich and began removing the plastic wrap encasing it.

Castiel ate in silence as he listened to Lisa recount the events of her day in between bites of her food. She had been late to her first class that morning, which Cas greatly disapproved of but didn't comment. An attractive sophomore that sat next to her had apparently saved her usual seat. She went on to report the course of their conversation during her professor's lecture and how she was pretty sure that this boy had had a massive crush on her since their freshman year of high school.

Cas looked up from his food when he noticed Lisa had paused her story.

"Oh, that was… nice of him." He said awkwardly, realizing that she was waiting for a reaction. "For saving your seat, I mean."

"Yeah, I guess it was." Lisa agreed, disappointment evident in her voice.

Cas frowned, guessing that wasn't the reaction she had wanted. "If he likes you, why don't you date him?" He tried again.

She perked up a little at his question. "Oh, I don't know…" She answered nonchalantly, "I guess I'm just not that interested. And at the time I had a boyfriend… He's a nice guy, though."

"You should give him a chance, then." Cas suggested with a small, encouraging smile.

"Oh. Well, maybe I will… It might be nice, I suppose." She said softly, her eyes falling to the grass around her feet.

"Yeah." Cas agreed awkwardly, not sure what else to say.

"Well, anyway…" Lisa looked up and carried on with her story, slightly less enthusiastic than before. Something seemed to have bothered her, but Cas wasn't entirely sure what it was. He didn't have much time to ponder the possibilities, however, because Lisa had a bit of wonderful news for him.

"I aced my calculus quiz." Lisa grinned, eyes gleaming with pride. She had been struggling in her course for the first few days of class, so Cas had offered to tutor her for her upcoming quiz. His instruction had apparently been successful.

"That's wonderful, Lisa!" Cas grinned, "You're doing great."

"Yeah, I guess I am." She beamed at his praise, "I couldn't have done it without your help, though. Thanks, Cas."

Cas felt heat rising to his cheeks. No one had ever expressed their appreciation to him before for anything. "You're welcome." He gave her a small smile, "It was nothing really. If you ever need help, just ask."

Lisa opened her mouth to respond, but a glimpse at something over Cas' shoulder sent a scowl rippling over her usually cheerful features.

"You have got to be kidding me." She growled, eyes narrowing.

"What?" Cas asked, narrowing his eyes and cocking his head to the side in question.

"M-"

"Hey, Lise." A deep voice Cas did not recognize interrupted, cutting off her explanation.

"Hey." She said coldly.

Cas turned towards the origin of the sound, curious as to who Lisa would treat so rudely, and was taken aback by what – or rather who – he saw. Leaning against the base of the maple tree was a muscular young man around six feet tall, handsome enough to rival a good majority of the other men Cas had seen around campus. His hair was a sandy light brown and his skin lightly tanned as if the sun had kissed every inch of his body. His facial features, from his chiseled jaw to his high cheek bones, were perfect and angular as if they had been sculpted by an artist. However, most striking of all was the stranger's gorgeous emerald green eyes.

"I was afraid you would end up here, too." Lisa added, rolling her eyes.

Cas snapped out of his stupor and glanced at Lisa, grateful to find that she didn't seem to have noticed his reaction to this stranger. He wasn't entirely open with his sexuality - not since the excessive bullying he suffered in his hometown. College was supposed to be a fresh start for him and he wasn't ready to ruin that just yet.

The man let out a single, humorless laugh. "Nice to see you, too." He scoffed. Although he appeared to brush off her rejection, Cas noticed the subtle change in his features that indicated the hurt that her words had caused. To his surprise, Cas found himself feeling sorry for this man who he didn't even know.

Lisa sighed. "What do you want?"

He shrugged. "I saw you and thought I'd come say hi."

"Well I believe you've accomplished that." Lisa said, eyes narrowing.

"Yes." The man agreed before flashing her a gorgeous grin, "and I also wanted to ask if you'd like to have dinner with me Saturday night. The usual place."

"No." Lisa shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "Not a chance."

"Alright, alright." He held up his hands defensively. "Just thought I'd give it a shot." He looked down at Castiel who had been quietly watching the two of them converse back and forth.

"You two a thing?" He asked as he returned his attention to Lisa.

Lisa blushed. "What? Cas and I? No, of course not!" She squeaked defensively.

"No?" Cas stated, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. This wasn't the first time someone had thought the two of them were a couple. He wasn't really sure why everyone seemed to get that impression, but it had happened on numerous occasions. However, he had concluded that the constant assumptions were better than everyone knowing the truth, so it didn't bother him in the slightest.

The stranger let out a low chuckle and shook his head. "Okay then, sweetheart. I'll be here when you decide you still want me." He winked at her before turning and strolling away towards a nearby building.

"Who was that?" Cas asked after he was out of earshot, his eyes still following the retreating figure.

"My ex-boyfriend." Lisa growled, the words spilling off her tongue like foul venom. "_Dean Winchester_."


	2. Chapter 2

Lisa wasn't fooling anyone, especially not Dean. He could see right through her pure, innocent little façade; she wanted this "Cas" guy. So that's who she had chosen to replace him? Some dorky kid with glasses and no social life? He didn't understand. What did she see in him? But then again, he thought, it could have been because of him that she was going for the "safe" guy this time around.

Dean signed and kicked the grass at his feet, causing a cloud of loose dirt to lift into the air. He knew it was his own fault that Lisa hated him; he had really messed up, and now he was paying the price. That he knew. He just didn't want to accept it. He loved Lisa, he really did. She was the only girl he had ever had real feelings for. With her it wasn't just sex, they had really had something special. Something Dean had never had before with anyone. (Not that he hadn't enjoyed the sex immensely, but that's beside the point.)

But he had to go and fuck it up, and he hated himself for it. No one knew self-loathing better than Dean Winchester…

He continued on his way, joining the swarm of students bustling about on the sidewalk. With a little over an hour left till his last class of the day he decided to go back to his dorm and clear his head. If that would even be possible with his obnoxious roommate hanging around.

x-x-x-x-x

"Seriously, Gabe?" Dean complained as he opened the door, taking in the mess that was his room, "Clean up your shit!"

"Whaaat?" Gabriel asked innocently, head poking out from around the corner.

"All of these damn candy wrappers!" Dean roared, gesturing to the crumpled pieces of foil and plastic littering the floor.

"Oh, that." He grinned, a mischievous glint in his caramel colored eyes. "I'll get it later." He laid back on his bunk, unwrapping another sucker and tossing the wrapper onto the carpet.

Dean growled in frustration as he opened the small refrigerator, reaching into the back for his hidden bottle of whiskey. Alcohol wasn't allowed on campus, nor was he of legal age to drink it, but he didn't really care. Without wasting any time he flopped onto his stiff mattress and took a swig from the bottle.

"You're moping." Gabe commented, head appearing from the bunk above Dean's. "What's the matter, Dean-o?"

"You mean other than the fact my roommate is a total dick?" He asked, taking another drink and raising his eyebrows at the other man.

"I try." He snickered, tone light and teasing.

Dean rolled his eyes and took another drink. "It's none of your business."

"Sure it is." Gabe grinned, eyes sparkling, "We're friends, aren't we?"

"No."

"Whatever you say, Dean-o." He laughed, disappearing from view. "You'll crack eventually."

"Not likely." Dean sighed as he turned to gaze out the fifth floor window, glass bottle held loosely in hand. The alcohol had already begun to numb his mind, dulling the pain of rejection that he felt. He smiled humorlessly to himself. Mission accomplished.

"I wouldn't get too drunk, Dean-o." Gabriel advised. "Don't you have class in 20 minutes?"

"Shit." Dean mumbled, rising from the bed and putting his bottle back in its hiding place.

"I'm gonna get going." He added, grabbing his backpack and opening the door to the hallway. "See you later, man."

"See ya, Dean-o!" Gabriel called, voice slightly muffled by the sugary taffy gluing his teeth together.

Dean closed the door behind him and raced off, his feet carrying him across campus to the foreign language department. He wasn't really adept at learning new dialects – he had tried with Latin and had only made minimal progress – but he figured it was best to knock out some gen eds in his first year. Plus, if his memory served him correctly, Lisa had been planning to take French during the fall semester.

He slid into the classroom just as the clock tower announced that the time was 3:00 in the afternoon – the time his class began. To his relief, he observed that Lisa sat towards the front of the room, her friend from earlier to her left and the seat to her right unoccupied. Dean grinned and slunk as quietly as possible up the row of desks before plopping down beside her.

Lisa looked over at the sound of his backpack hitting the floor and scowled. She didn't bother to comment, however, as the professor had entered the room and was beginning his lecture.

"Bonjour!" He gave the class a goofy grin. A few students mumbled in response, ready for the day to be over.

"My name is Professor Fitzgerald." He announced, puffed with pride as he turned to write his title across the chalkboard. The students winced as the chalk squealed against the black slate. "I will be your French instructor for this term."

Dean snickered to himself. He would know this short, scrawny, doe-eyed man anywhere – he was a friend of his father's, Garth Fitzgerald IV. He was a caring, yet childish and naïve man that Dean had never in his life been able to take seriously. This was going to be an interesting year.


	3. Chapter 3

Lisa was pissed - Castiel could tell that much. Although he wasn't entirely sure why she hated Dean so much, it had been apparent that she harbored an extreme dislike for him from the moment Cas had met her ex-boyfriend. He didn't want to ask for an explanation, fearing that he might be bringing up a touchy subject. Honestly, it didn't really matter - Cas accepted her feelings and assumed that there was good reason behind her loathing.

Whatever the reason, Lisa was obviously less than thrilled when Professor Fitzgerald grouped the three of them together for their first project.

"This is ridiculous." Lisa grumbled, propping her elbows on the table and burying her face in her hands.

"It won't be so bad, Lisa." Cas stated awkwardly, not sure how to comfort his friend. "The assignment isn't too hard, we'll be done in just a few minutes."

"Not hard?" She laughed humorlessly, "For you maybe!"

"Well-,"

"Alright, let's get this party started." Dean interrupted loudly, appearing from behind one of the many bookshelves and plopping down in the seat next to Lisa.

"You're late." Lisa said flatly, clearly not amused in the slightest.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry babe. Got a little held up." He flashed her a dazzling smile.

"Don't call me that." She glared, spitting the words like venom.

Cas cleared his throat, earning the attention of his two cohorts. "Can we get started, please?" He asked politely, willing them to stop bickering back and forth so they could get their work done.

"Sure thing, four-eyes." Dean smirked. "What's on the agenda?"

"We have to create a three-part conversation in french." Cas answered, "I'm guessing you weren't paying attention in class."

"You guess right."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "You haven't changed one bit."

"Not at all." Dean agreed, grinning at her, his eyes sparkling.

"GUYS." Castiel barked, his frustration growing. They both turned to look at him, surprised by his sudden outburst.

"Thank you." He added after a moment of silence.

"I guess we should begin with introductions?" Lisa inquired hesitantly.

"Yes." Cas agreed with a single nod. "Bonjour. Je m'apelle Castiel." He began in perfect, fluid French.

"Salut, Castiel." She replied. "Je m'apelle Lisa."

Dean remained silent. Whether it was due to ignorance or a reluctance to cooperate Cas did not know. However, the interference with completing their homework was annoying.

"Et vous?" Castiel probed, eyes falling on Dean.

"Bonnjure. Jza m'uh-ple Dean." He muttered reluctantly.

Castiel frowned, dissatisfied with the response. "You're pronunciation is terrible."

"So?"

"Are you even trying?" He asked, eyes narrowing in accusation.

The other man shrugged, which Cas interpreted as a no.

"_Dean_." He growled, his deep, husky voice almost terrifying as he glared in his direction.

Lisa shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Castiel had never expressed anger around her before.

"Bonjour." Dean tried again with a dramatic eye roll. He seemed only mildly phased by Cas' threatening stare, unlike his romantic interest. "Jah ma'appelle Dean."

Castiel sighed and closed his eyes in frustration, pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "That's better, I suppose. Let's move on."

x-x-x-x-x

It had taken an hour for them to finish their assignment. Dean's unfamiliarity with the language proved to be a large obstacle. His phonemics continuously proved to be less than satisfactory and his knowledge of the assigned vocabulary was extremely lacking. Castiel had attempted to help him, but to no avail; every attempt was met with sarcasm and cold remarks. Perhaps he really did understand Lisa's grievance with him. However, despite Lisa's suggestion to just give up, it just wasn't in Cas' nature. He wanted to do whatever he could to make Dean better - he just wished that the man wouldn't treat him with such resentment.

He took off his glasses and set them on his bedside table before climbing into bed and pulling the covers up to his chin.

_Why does he treat me so rudely?_ Cas wondered, eyelids drooping as he stared at the ceiling of his dorm. Had he done something to anger him? He didn't think so…

Castiel had always refused to think that someone could simply be mean by nature, but with Dean he wasn't so sure. He didn't seem to be particularly kind to anyone, not just Cas himself. Why was that? As he drifted off to sleep, Castiel found himself wondering more and more about the beautiful man he had met just a week ago.

What was his family like?

What went on inside his head?

Why did he put up walls and treat everyone so harshly?

Cas wanted to know.

x-x-x-x-x

_The first thing he noticed was the noise. There was rain splashing on a window and the squeak of rubber on glass. There was the gentle hum of tires traveling on blacktop and the whoosh of other cars passing by. There was something else, too. It was a pleasant noise, filling the space around him - a melody he recognized, but combined with something else. Something he hadn't heard for a really, really long time. Someone was singing._

_Mom! He thought, opening his eyes. There she was, sitting in the passenger seat. She looked back at him and smiled - a joyful, gorgeous smile that he loved so much._

"Hey, there, sleepy head!" _She laughed, her beautiful voice ringing through the small space._

_Cas smiled back a toothy, crooked grin. His young, blue eyes sparkled in the low lighting. He looked to his father sitting in the driver's seat, humming along with the song on the radio and hand clasped with that of his mother's. The sight of them caused him to feel something he hadn't felt for a long time. Love._

"We're almost there. Don't you-"

_His mother's voice was interrupted by a hideous, ear-piercing squeal. Everything was spinning. The world around him was a blur. Cas suddenly found himself engulfed in a sea of new sounds._

_Shattering glass._

_Crunching metal._

_Breaking plastic._

_Car horns._

_Wailing Sirens._

_Pouring rain._

_Crying._

_Screaming. So much screaming._

_Everything was deep red - the color of blood. Everything was in pain - some a dull, aching pain and and others sharp and piercing like a knife. The screaming had stopped but the sound echoed through his head, over and over again. Never stopping. Never stopping. Not for a second._

Cas woke with a start, his body drenched in a cold sweat. His breathing was heavy and his heart pounded in his chest, threatening to leap out of his body. He'd been having nightmares for years, the same nightmare in fact, ever since he was 9 years old. And every time it had the same effect.

He glanced at the clock. It was 4:45 in the morning - too early to start getting ready for class, but he also didn't want to go back to sleep. If he went back to sleep he would have the possibility of experiencing the nightmare again and feeling the same fear and pain he felt those 9 years ago. That wasn't a chance he was willing to take.

He lifted the blanket off of himself and swung his feet over the side of the bed, stuffing them into the fuzzy slippers he kept nearby. His hand searched for his glasses, feeling for the cool metal of the stems. When they were found he plucked them from their spot and placed them on the bridge of his nose, allowing his eyes to focus. The room was dark, dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through the gaps in the curtains.

Cas reached under his bed for his shower bag, lifting the strap and placing it on his shoulder before making his way to the door. It opened with a quiet creaking noise, allowing the light from the hallway to enter and bathe his room in it's harsh glow. He exited the room and made his way to the floor bathroom, feet making quiet pats as they collided with the hard tile floor.

"Nice PJs." A low, familiar voice scoffed as he stepped into through the door.

Castiel looked up at him, surprised to find Dean stepping out of one of the shower stalls. He hadn't expected anyone else to be there at this hour, especially not Dean.

"I'm assuming you mean that sarcastically." He stated, choosing his own stall and draping his towel over the rack on the back of the door.

Dean chuckled, the low sound rumbling from his wide, toned chest.

"Why are you up so early?" Cas wondered out loud, gazing at the other man.

He shrugged. "Used to it. My old man used to get me up this early every day." He explained rather vaguely. "You?"

"Nightmare." Cas answered, not willing to give any more explanation.

Dean nodded as if he understood before gathering his things and heading towards the door.

"Have a nice day, Dean." Cas called sleepily, wanting to be polite.

He paused for a second, hand grasping the door handle. "Yeah, you too, man." He replied before disappearing through the doorway.

Cas stepped into the stall, locking the door behind him, and turned on the shower, allowing the water to heat up as he undressed. Dean hadn't treated him rudely. Well, besides the pajama comment, but Cas supposed that was just his way of greeting people. That surprised him. Perhaps he wasn't as mean as he seemed to be.

Cas smiled to himself as he stepped under the falling water and tugged the shower curtain closed. Perhaps Dean wasn't a rude person after all. Perhaps he really did have some good in him, behind the rough exterior. The thought gave him hope, and that hope he planned to cling to as if his life depended on it.


	4. Chapter 4

Dean sauntered back to his room, damp towel draped over his shoulder and shower bag in hand. The hall was silent except for the soft squeaks of wet rubber against the hard floor. He welcomed the stillness of the early morning - it was the only time he could ever get some peace and quiet on campus. Despite how much he liked to socialize, especially with attractive women, he did miss the element of privacy that came with living at home. Plus, waking up early allowed him to complete his seemingly never-ending pile of homework with no distractions.

He stepped into his room, closing the door gently behind him before tossing his bag onto the floor at the foot of his bed. The towel was flung over the back of his chair to dry as he picked up his calculus text book lying on the desk. Dean sat on his bed and began working, the equations flowing fluidly from the tip of his pencil with little hesitation. Math was always something that had come easy for him - this coupled with his love for mechanics led to his decision to major in engineering.

After a mere hour of work, the Winchester had completed his homework for both his calculus and physics classes. With that out of the way, he reached under his bed for his laptop, pulling it into his lap and leaning against the cool, cinderblock wall that bordered one side of his bed. Dean paused for a moment, listening for Gabriel's soft snores to assure him that his roommate was still deep in slumber before opening the laptop and clicking the power button. The black screen quickly illuminated, revealing his desktop after a few moments of start-up. The man smiled fondly, gazing at the family portrait displayed before him. There was his father standing amongst them with a wide smile on his face - a smile Dean had not seen for many, many years. Beside him stood a very young Dean, arm around the shoulders of his younger brother, Sammy, whom he held very dear to him. Behind Sammy stood their mother, a beautiful, smiling, loving woman that Dean missed with all of his heart and soul.

Snapping out of his nostalgic stupor, he got back to the task at hand, right clicking on the google chrome icon at the bottom of the screen and choosing to open an incognito window. He didn't want to leave any tracks in his internet history - just a precaution incase Gabe decided to use his computer again. It wouldn't be incorrect to say that Dean was slightly embarrassed by his somewhat... _strange_ hobby. It was for this reason he was secretive about it, choosing to wait till the early morning hours when there was no chance of being discovered.

Dean sighed and placed his cursor in the search bar, quietly typing the domain of the website that had quickly become his guilty pleasure over the past few months:

"_www . ghostfacers . com_"

There had always been something about ghost stories that the man had found intriguing. When he was alone he liked to research tales and lore about the various creatures that only existed in nightmares. However, like most people, Dean had always thought very lightly of these legends - they were merely for his entertainment, as the creatures did not actually exist in the real world. However, this belief began to change after discovering this group of young "ghost hunters". Their videos had inspired Dean to begin a bit of work on his own, solving mysteries and putting things to rest. He had never come into contact with any powerful beings - just a few weak spirits that had died and lost their way - but the ghostfacers had had much better luck, if you could call it that. They caught on video beings that Dean had only read about. However, this had cost a few lives along the way.

Honestly, it was a wonder most of them were still alive. The members of the group were all a bunch of idiots - this is a conclusion that Dean had come to after watching just a few of their episodes. They were somewhat careless and immature, and they would probably greatly annoy him if he ever met them in person. But it was the things they caught on camera that he was interested in. Given the option, he would have looked elsewhere for confirmation of the supernatural, but he guessed that the true hunters didn't stupidly upload their videos to the internet.

Dean scrolled down the home page and clicked on their latest upload. _Dancing with Demons_. The man let out a single, mocking laugh. The title was corny to say the least. Despite this, he still became immersed in the broadcast. He had read a lot about demons, but never had he actually seen one. The particular type that the ghostfacers were summoning was known as a crossroads demon - their purpose was to grant the wishes of mortals in exchange for their souls.

"Watcha doin'?"

Dean snapped the laptop shut in one quick, fluid movement, eyes adjusting to the darkness before focusing on the face of his roommate peeking down from the bed above him.

"Casa Erotica." Dean gave him his best sarcastic smile. "Which you are rudely interrupting."

"The one with the tacos?" Gabe asked, eyes twinkling.

"Of course."

"Good choice." He nodded his approval before hopping down from his bunk and gathering his toiletries. "Well I'm off to the shower." He paused, door half open, before adding with a wink, "Just don't leave a mess, Dean-o."

"Fucking hypocrite." Dean muttered as the door closed, eyeing the half-eaten pizza slice on the counter with disgust. He sighed and returned his laptop to it's place under his bed just as the cell phone on his bedside table buzzed, alerting him that it was time to start heading to class.

The man stood from his bed, reaching for the phone and turning off the alarm before placing the small device into the pocket of his jeans. After pulling on his work boots and slinging the strap of his backpack over his shoulder he exited the room, less than thrilled to begin another day of school.

The temperature was beginning it's downward spiral as fall approached, however it was still considerably warm. Not that this bothered Dean much at all - he had spent the majority of the summer working on cars in a hot garage or outside on the pavement, body at the mercy of the blistering sun. It wasn't the summer most recent high school graduates dream of, but it was decent enough. After all, he did get to spend a lot of time fixing up his graduation present from his father - a beautiful, black, hard-top 1967 Chevy Impala. In all honesty, giving him the impala was probably the nicest, most considerate thing his father had done for him in years.

Dean rounded a corner, entrance to the building just several feet ahead. From seemingly out of nowhere a searing pain erupted from his chest and abdomen as a hot liquid poured down his front. He almost lost his balance as another student crashed into him, books and other various belongings diving to the concrete below them. After stabilizing himself and the smaller man that stood before him, he looked down, finding his eyes locked with a deep blue that was more familiar than he desired it to be.

"I'm very, very sorry!" Castiel squeaked frantically, face red with embarrassment. His eyes pleaded for Dean's forgiveness and displayed every ounce of sincerity that was humanly possible.

Dean almost laughed, observing how pitiful he looked with his puppy dog eyes and glasses askew on the bridge of his nose. Perhaps it was for that reason that he didn't seem to be angry? He certainly should have been...

"...Aren't you irritated with me?" Cas asked, confused by the silence. His eyebrows knitted together as he cocked his head to the side ever so slightly.

Dean sighed, observing the damage to his favorite Led Zeppelin t-shirt. _It's a damn good thing he's cute._

"It's f-"

_Wait, what?!_


	5. Chapter 5

Dean glared at him. "Watch where you're going, you little asshat."

He pushed past Castiel, nearly knocking him over in the process, and stormed down the sidewalk. Cas watched wide-eyed as he flung open the door to the building towering above them and disappeared from view, leaving the other man in stunned silence.

_Why the sudden change in attitude?_ Cas wondered as he straightened his glasses and gathered the school supplies at his feet. It wasn't a surprise that Dean was angry with him - after all, the steaming cup of coffee he had spilled must have burned…

Cas froze, his guilt deepening. He had hurt Dean. He had physically hurt him. Sure, Dean had hurt him too, but only in a psychological sense. Dean didn't deserve pain.

Castiel continued trudging along, changing course for his dorm hall. Lisa had insisted that he get some rest before their French class that afternoon. She knew that he hadn't been sleeping well, despite his attempts to hide it from her. She was just one of those people that was good at reading how others felt. Cas found that characteristic to be quite admirable, as he did not possess it himself. He thought that majoring in psychology would help him to understand other people more thoroughly, but he was wrong. It was one thing to learn concepts from reading a book, but applying what he had learned was more difficult. It just didn't "click".

Anyway, despite his evident lack of sleep, he had divided up his free time in his head and determined that if he hurried to the library he would have just enough time to study for about 20 minutes before napping, per Lisa's request. For that reason he had been running when Dean had rounded the corner in front of him.

He had also been carrying the coffee due to his lack of adequate sleep. Maybe he really should listen to Lisa more often…

As if his mood was not bleak enough, upon entering the glass doors of his building and strolling down the hallway, a bright pink flier on the wall caught his attention. Cas paused for a moment, scanning the flashy paper. It was a reminder that family weekend was coming up. Freshmen in particular were encouraged to invite their family to come visit that Saturday.

Cas sighed and continued down the hall to the elevator. He didn't expect any of his family to come visit him - what family he had, anyway. His mother and father would have come to see him, but that was impossible now. Perhaps his aunt and uncle would come - after all, they had taken him in when he was younger and had raised him. He dismissed the thought, however, considering he always felt that they had always only put up with him for his cousin's sake. His cousin was the only family member he had that encouraged his… "chosen lifestyle".

_As if I would actually choose this…_ Castiel thought angrily as he pushed the up arrow on the wall with more force than necessary.

The elevator door slid open before him and he stepped inside, pressing the button for the fifth floor. As the car rose Cas spent the time allowing his thoughts to wander. He hadn't seen his cousin since the semester started, even though they went to the same school. He smiled to himself and vowed to visit him soon. Surely they would at least spend more time together over the weekend with their relatives. His aunt and uncle surely wouldn't come for his own sake, but they wouldn't pass up the chance to visit their biological son.

_I wonder if Dean's family is coming to visit for the weekend…?_ He smiled at the thought of getting to meet them - or at least getting to see what they were like, as it was highly unlikely Dean would introduce him; after all, the two of them weren't even friends.

Surely Dean had a family, right? Castiel lacked one, of course, so the possibility stood open, but he considered himself to be odd in that fact. It seemed abnormal for anyone to go without the loving circle of a close-knit family.

The elevator door opened and Cas stepped out, reaching into his pocket and fishing out his keys as he approached the entrance to his room. His room was small, even as far as dorms went. That was a consequence of bunking alone, he supposed. He didn't mind the idea of sharing a space with another person, but his aunt and uncle had insisted he get a single room. He did, after all, "enjoy his privacy". Cas knew that was just a bullshit excuse they had come up with to prevent him from being intimate with another man, but he didn't object.

The room was spotless, as Castiel was very clean and organized; everything was in it's proper place, just the way he liked it. To be perfectly honest, it was oddly tidy for a college dorm.

_Maybe it's best that I'm not living with someone else…_ Cas thought as he organized the books he had been carrying on the shelf above his desk. After that chore had been done he kicked off his shoes and scooted them to the foot of the bed, the sneakers fitting perfectly next to his shower shoes. He dug his phone out of his pocket and set a timer for half an hour before placing it, along with his glasses, on the bedside table and curling up on the mattress. Usually it would have taken him a while to fall asleep, as his thoughts would typically prevent him from drifting off. This time, however, his exhaustion quickly overcame him and within a few short minutes he was deep in slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

Dean wrung out his t-shirt for the third time, the warm, clear water dripping down into the sink, devoid of any trace of the brown coffee. Thankfully the stain had come out better than he had expected. He sighed and braced himself against the sides of the porcelain sink, lifting his candy-apple green eyes to gaze at his reflection in the mirror, his mind racing. What had he been thinking? Castiel? Cute? That was absolutely absurd!

_I like women!_ Dean reassured himself mentally. _Only women! Lisa, of course, in particular…_

Lisa.

_Lisa._

That must have been it. It had to be. Dean felt sympathy for the little nerd because he was Lisa's friend. Sure, Cas was his rival, but he made Lisa happy. Dean wanted her to be happy. Just as long as she wasn't happy with somebody else.

The man tugged the damp t-shirt over his head and attempted to adjust it to the best of his ability. It was uncomfortable, but more appropriate than trekking across campus half-naked. Dean scooped up his backpack from the tile floor and slung a single strap over his right shoulder before exiting the men's bathroom and setting course for his french class, shirt clinging to his skin like the uncertainty and denial clinging to the back of his consciousness.

Upon stepping outside it became evident that the temperature had risen by at least a few degrees. The damp garment hugging his torso provided a small bit of relief as he hiked across campus, for which he was grateful. Although a few other students passed curious glances, most seemed to not even question the wet clothing. The lack of judgement on campus was something Dean had quickly become accustomed to - he could have been wearing flannel pajamas in the middle of the day, and still no one would really notice, nor would they care.

Dean opened the door to the classroom, not surprised to find that Lisa and Cas had already taken their seats at the front of the room. They always seemed to be a bit early (or perhaps he was always a bit late). Castiel looked less cheerful (or perhaps lively was a better word?) than usual, his head cradled in his arms on top of his desk. This was odd, as most of the time he had a very serious air about him that was neither happy nor really sad. Not only that, but he always sat upright in his chair, posture almost annoyingly perfect, in Dean's opinion. Today, however, he did not even seem to be making small talk with Lisa. It was not a mystery to Dean why, of course. Looking back at the earlier events of that afternoon he had not been particularly kind to the young man at all.

Dean made his way to the chair on Lisa's other side and sat down, his backpack creating a small thud as he dropped it at his side. This sound alerted Castiel, who lifted his head and readjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. When he caught sight of Dean and the state of the t-shirt he wore a look of guilt washed over his features. Dean almost found himself feeling sorry for the man. Almost. The moment he recognized his sympathy building he crushed it, refusing to feel anything even remotely close to affection for the little nerd.

"What on Earth happened to you?" Lisa questioned, looking him up and down with narrowed eyes.

"An accident." He answered simply, digging through his backpack for his textbooks in order to avoid eye contact. Whether it was to spare Castiel's feelings or from fear that Lisa would approve of her friend's mistake, more information was not shared.

Despite her burning curiosity, Lisa dropped the subject, sensing that it would go no further.

"Sam coming down for family weekend?" She asked after a beat of silence, her voice hopeful. Lisa and Sam had always gotten along well - she adored the kid. Dean wouldn't doubt that spending time with his younger brother was the part Lisa missed the most about their past relationship. Although understandable, the fact stung.

On the other side of the table Castiel perked up a little, interested in the topic of discussion. Dean, however, didn't notice.

"Yeah." He answered, lips twisting into a small smile. Sammy was really the only part of the weekend that Dean was looking forward to.

Lisa grinned her approval, but before she could respond Garth (Dean still hadn't become quite accustomed to addressing him as "Professor Fitzgerald, even in his head. He didn't think he ever would) had entered the room and begun his lecture.

Class seemed to tick by even slower than usual, and that was really saying something. It may have been due to Dean's discomfort or the conflicting thoughts nagging at him. Or, possibly, it was the impending doom that the Winchester felt knowing that today was the day mid-term exams would be handed back. He knew he didn't do well, but he wasn't really ready to discover just how bad "not well" was.

His fellow classmates slowly filtered out of the room, each having received their scores. Lisa had received a B and Cas, of course, had passed with flying colors. Dean's impatience grew, leaving him in absolute agony by the time his turn arrived.

"Dean Winchester, I expected more from you." Garth sighed disapprovingly, handing back Dean's failed mid-term exam. The rest of the class had already filtered out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.

Dean ran a hand through his short, light brown hair and sighed, partly from his feeling of failure and the rest from general annoyance. This wasn't the first exam he had failed, nor was it the first time that his professor had expressed his growing disappointment. He already knew he was failing his class - he didn't need his dumbass of a teacher to point it out for the second (or maybe even third) time.

"Yes, sir. I know." He muttered, biting back all of the snide remarks he wanted to unleash. He had had a bad habit of back-talking teachers during his high school years and it had only gotten him a few detentions and a handful of trips to the principal's office. Not that he hadn't gotten quite a bit of satisfaction from it, but that was in the past.

"You need a tutor, Dean. If you don't stop being so stubborn, you'll lose your scholarship. What would your father think of that?" He gave Dean a look of sympathy, knowing very well the answer to that question.

Dean grimaced at the thought. His father was a bit… strict, to say the least. He hadn't been the same since - well, Dean didn't want to think about that. It was like a part of their father had been broken beyond repair. If Dean were to lose his scholarship there would most definitely be a consequence. What that consequence would be he did not know, nor did he care to find out. Not to mention he would have to drop out of college, which was the last thing he wanted to do. He loved cars, sure, but he didn't want to spend the rest of his life working alongside his dad as a mechanic in a hot, shitty garage.

His professor noticed his change in expression and sighed kindheartedly. "That's what I thought." Then his expression brightened a bit. "How about we make a deal. I'll assign you a tutor. If I can see that you are improving in my class, I'll give you some extra credit to make up for the mid-term."

Despite his discontent with his offer, Dean decided that it was best that he take it. It wasn't very often that professors gave opportunities such as this. "Fine. Who's the lucky son of a bitch?"

He flashed him a glare, "Language, Dean."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

Garth sighed and shook his head, crossing his arms in frustration. "I'm assigning you my best student. He's in your class, so you two should know each other." He stated, "His name is Castiel Novak."

Could this day possibly get any worse?

x-x-x-x-x

A few days passed and finally Friday was upon them. When Dean awoke that morning the realization had filled him with both relief and dread. Sammy was arriving tomorrow morning - and his father, but that fact was of little importance. But first, Dean would have to make it through his first tutoring session with Castiel, which he was not looking forward to in the slightest. He had decided that, without a doubt, this could not end well. The two of them simply didn't get along, and Dean really didn't want them to.

Despite this, he had no other choice, and he knew that. It was because of this he found himself standing in front of the other man's door at exactly 4:30pm, fist raised and poised to knock. He tapped the door three times, and after a few mere seconds it cracked open.

"Hello, Dean." Cas greeted, holding the door open in invitation to come in.

Dean stepped into the small, one-person dorm and stood patiently, waiting for further instruction. After shutting the door, Castiel swiveled his desk chair so that it was facing the center of the room and took a seat. He gestured to the chair facing him, prompting his student to sit as well.

Had it been anyone else, Dean would have considered the professionalism to be odd. However, if the past few months had taught him anything about this strange young man, it was that professionalism certainly wasn't out of his character. That in mind, it still didn't make the situation any less awkward as Dean sat in front of him, placing his bag by his feet.

"Professor Fitzgerald has given me a list of the primary areas in which he feels you could use a bit of guidance." His tutor began, "I think it best we begin with vocabulary and pronunciation."

"Yes, because my pronunciation is _absolutely horrid._" Dean commented, his tone mocking.

Castiel sighed and shook his head. "I am trying to help you, Dean. You could at least attempt to lose your attitude."

"Yea, alright there, Spock." He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Let's get this over with."

Ignoring what he was sure was meant to be an insult, Cas continued. "I have prepared flashcards to enhance your vocabulary, as it seems to be an effective method." From a drawer in the desk he extracted a stack of white cards, each with writing on the front and back. "I will show you a word in French, and you will tell me the meaning in English. Easy enough?"

"I suppose."

"Good."

For a while all was well - at least, better than what had originally been expected. Dean continued to be a smartass when he didn't know an answer, mostly just to push Cas' buttons. To his dismay, his commentary seemed to have little effect. He found this to be a bit of an annoyance.

"Dean, you aren't taking this seriously." The man stated blatantly, pausing in his instruction.

"I am."

"No, you're not." He glared, deep blue eyes shooting daggers. If looks could kill, this one surely would have Dean wounded.

Finally, the reaction he had been waiting for.

"Alright, you caught me." Dean raised his hands in surrender, allowing his annoyance to spill over. "I'm not. I didn't ask for this. Or rather, I didn't ask for _you_."

He knew what he said was harsh, but it had just tumbled out before he could stop himself. He looked up to see Cas staring at him, a look of hurt in his deep blue, puppy-dog eyes. He did it. He had finally struck a nerve.

And damn, he actually felt bad about it.

"Look, man, I'm so-"

"Why are you so rude to me?" He asked, cutting him off, voice smaller and more gravelly than Dean had ever heard it before.

Dean sighed and looked down at his feet. He leaned forward so that his elbows rested on his knees and clasped his hands together, unwilling to look at the mess he had made.

"I think you know why." He nearly whispered. It was a lie, of course. In reality Dean had actually begun to doubt that Cas really knew why he held a grudge against him. Truth be told, he just didn't want to admit it out loud. Doing so would mean that he would have to recognize the reality of his situation and he just wasn't ready for that.

"No, Dean. I don't." Of course he didn't.

"You're… Lisa…" Dean wasn't sure how to form the words, "You're trying to take her away from me."

"...What?"

Dean looked up, surprised to find Cas looking just as puzzled as he sounded with his eyebrows knit together and head cocked ever so slightly to the side. He really, really didn't know.

"Lisa… She has a thing for you, you know that right?"

"A thing?" His confusion seemed to deepen, if that was even possible.

"You know, a crush."

"Oh." Castiel's eyes widened in realization as the pieces fit together inside his head. "Yes… I suppose that does make sense..."

They sat in silence for a moment, both processing the events that had just taken place. Cas was even more oblivious that Dean had previously thought, which was really saying something. Emotion definitely didn't seem to be the man's strong point.

"So you're unkind to me because you see me as a threat?" Castiel clarified, a look of understanding sweeping across his features.

Dean nodded, not sure what else to say. Hearing the words from the other's mouth made the fact seem even more ridiculous than he had previously believed.

"Dean." Cas said with a soft smile. "I'm not interested in Lisa."

Dean blinked, caught by surprise. "What? Why not?"

Castiel shrugged. "I only see her as a good friend. Nothing more. You have nothing to worry about."

_Well shit._ Dean thought, eyes widening a fraction. _Maybe Cas isn't that bad after all…_


	7. Chapter 7

Cas glanced at the white number marking the door before him, confirming that it was, in fact, room number 516. If he remembered correctly, and he most certainly did as his memory rarely failed him, this was the room he was looking for. He raised his fist and lightly tapped on the door, hoping to find the man he was searching for inside.

"Gabriel?" He called through the wood, voice slightly hesitant despite his confidence. He could hear voices on the other side - multiple in fact, suggesting that his cousin's roommate was present as well. This made him a bit nervous. He had never met Gabe's roommate before, and interacting with new people wasn't really his strong suit.

After a bit of rustling and the loud clicking of the lock being undone, the door swung open. However, to Castiel's surprise, Gabe was not the man standing in the doorway. This man towered over him, his height reaching at least 6 feet, yet he looked young (probably around 16 or 17, he guessed) - even younger than Cas himself, who was only 18. His brown hair was long - not quite shoulder length but enough that it curled around his round jaw, not quite made angular yet with age. Had he not had such a friendly look about him, he would have been intimidating, what with his height coupled with the chiseled muscles hiding beneath his t-shirt.

Although he did not recognize this boy, there was one feature that Castiel found to be familiar: his bright, candy-apple green eyes. They weren't quite as gorgeous as the one's he had become accustomed to (and even, admittedly, had a soft spot for), but they were still beautiful.

"Hi, I'm Sam." The man grinned, offering a hand to shake. "You must be Gabriel's cousin."

Cas nodded, placing his own hand in Sam's. The teen had a grip like iron, he noticed. "Castiel."

"Cas?" As Sam stepped aside to allow Cas' entry, he caught sight of Dean lounging in a desk chair, eyes widened in surprise.

"Hello, Dean." He greeted, lips curling up into a small smile. "You're Gabe's roommate?"

"Sure is." Gabriel answered for him, jumping down from the top bunk and grinning. "How ya doin', cuz? Haven't seen you in a while." He pulled the other man into a hug, making Cas feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Well." He answered truthfully, squirming out of Gabe's embrace. Though the start of the semester had been a bit iffy due to Dean's near-constant taunting, his mood had lightened considerably since their conversation the day before. He hoped that their relationship would improve now that the air was cleared and this thought sent his heart soaring. His cousin, however, didn't need to know those details.

"Gigantor here is Dean-o's younger brother." Gabe explained, gesturing to Sam who rolled his eyes in mock offence.

Cas nodded once, for he had expected as much, before giving the boy a genuine smile. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Dean's french tutor."

At that Sam chuckled. "Sounds like a bit of a job. Dean's a bit of a hard-ass." He said, tone light and joking.

"Definitely." Cas agreed.

"Right here, ladies. No need to gossip about me." Dean scoffed from the corner.

"It's true." Sam teased, flashing him an oh-so-innocent grin.

"Where are Alex and Eleanor?" Castiel questioned, changing the subject. It was a surprise to find that they hadn't already arrived - he had assumed that they would be eager to come down, having not seen their son and nephew for two whole months.

"Mom and Dad aren't coming till tomorrow. Something about Mom having to work overtime and blah, blah." His cousin replied, utilizing his hands to accent his words. Cas figured he hadn't been paying much attention, especially since aunt Eleanor tended to ramble when she apologized, as if she couldn't say "I'm sorry" quite enough to express her remorse. Though she may not have been the best mother to Castiel, she was a kind woman at heart.

"That's just as well, I suppose." The other commented nonchalantly. "Neither of them seemed keen on the idea of attending the game with us." In all honesty, Cas himself wasn't keen on the idea of going to the game either, but if it would make his cousin happy he could manage.

Gabriel laughed humorlessly. "Got that right."

"If your family won't be here today, you're welcome to hang with us." Sam piped up with a grin. Though he spoke to both of them, his sparkling eyes seemed to be more focused on the brunette.

"That would be fun." Cas gave him a small smile in thanks before stealing a quick glance at Dean through the corner of his eye. _An entire day with Dean?_

"If you insist." Gabriel smirked, eyes twinkling.

"Are your parents going to joining us as well?" Castiel asked out of curiosity, looking from Sam to Dean.

"Our dad is meeting up with us for the football game." Dean replied. There was something in his voice that made Cas wonder if the man wanted his father to come at all, but he didn't question it. He knew all too well that some subjects were sensitive and best left to rest.

"What's on the agenda for today, then?" Gabriel asked, eyes flickering between the others in the room.

"I was hoping we could go to the fall festival up in town." Sam suggested, a bit sheepish. "Before the football game, I mean. I thought it would be fun."

"If that's what you want to do, I'm all for it." Dean replied, rising from his chair.

"Bunch of old, rusty death traps, cotton candy, and deep fried everything?" Gabe smirked, a playful gleam in his eyes as he gazed up at the younger man. " I'm game."

Though he was joking, Cas knew his cousin was correct about the festival rides essentially being big, metal death traps, and he didn't much care for fried food at all, but he didn't object to the idea. He wasn't about to ruin everyone else's fun for his own sake.

The weather was nice that day - most definitely nice enough to walk the distance between campus and the festival - but still the three boys took up Dean's invitation to make the journey in his car. Though Castiel would not have minded traveling on foot - which he did a lot of since he did not own his own vehicle - he was curious as to what Dean drove so he agreed. The car seemed to be in great condition, especially when compared to the other cars on campus. It seemed that Dean took great care of his possession and was knowledgeable about doing so. Though Cas didn't know the exact year of the model, as his knowledge of motor vehicles was extremely limited, the markings on the car informed him that it was a Chevy Impala.

The festival was a bit bigger than Cas had expected, at least for the size of the town. The blocked off streets were lined with booths, some with games to play for prizes, and some selling the most unhealthy looking food Castiel had ever laid eyes on in his life. Children bustled about with parents following closely behind, large stuffed animals in hand. Teens gathered in groups around the funnel cake stand and the ticket booth at the end of the lane. In a large grassy area just to the left and behind the rows of booths were rides for people of all ages, from a small merry-go-round and kitty-coaster to the scrambler and "ring of fire" (a circular track in which a coaster looped and looped, the riders screaming inside of the cars). It wasn't the scene Castiel typically pictured himself in on a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon, but it seemed fun nevertheless.

The boys made their way down the street, joining the line for the ticket booth. Thankfully it wasn't long before they were next, digging wallets and loose bills out of their pockets. The price of tickets was alarming, in Castiel's opinion, as he didn't have much money to his name to begin with. In the end the four of them agreed to purchase 20 tickets for $15, rather than paying $1 per ticket - both prices were a bit ridiculous, but there was nothing to be done about that.

Gabriel chose the first ride, though the rest of the group didn't seem to keen on climbing aboard. The metal contraption towered above them, a dozen cars tumbling and turning in 360 degrees as they zipped around a vertical, spinning track that was rectangular in shape. The motion of the ride vaguely reminded Castiel of a chainsaw. Gabe herded them over to the line passing under the large, lit up sign displaying the name of the horrible thing: _The Trickster._

As each car only sat two passengers, the four young men had to pair up. By default, Cas was left with his cousin, a fact which he was not overly thrilled about. It wasn't that he minded being with Gabriel - he loved his cousin and loved spending time with him - but he had secretly hoped that by some chance he would end up paired with Dean. Though, perhaps it was for the best, as once they were seated and the car began its tumbling and turning Castiel realized that the experience was truly terrifying and he would have looked rather foolish in front of Dean, had the two of them ridden together. He got off of the contraption feeling that he was rather pleased the odds had not originally worked in his favor.

The group continued walking amongst the large machines until Sam stopped and gestured to the ride to their right.

"That one looks fun." He stated, before looking back at his companions hopefully.

The name of the ride sure didn't sound very fun, Cas thought, gazing up at the sign before them. _The Soul Crusher_. What a horrible title for a fair ride. It was fitting, however, as the ride itself was equally as terrible. Cas watched as 16 passengers rose into the air in a ring around the large metal column him before plummeting to the bottom, the cables slowing them just in time to save them from their doom. He wasn't a fan of drop towers - not in the slightest - but again, he wasn't about to ruin everyone's fun. Especially when Dean had agreed without hesitation; he would look a true coward if he backed down.

Somehow Cas managed to find himself in the seat next to Dean, not without a little effort on his part. Slowly they rose into the air, and Cas felt as though his heart were resting on the soles of his shoes. In an effort to keep his eyes off of the ground growing farther and farther away, he looked to his left and was surprised at what he saw. Though he couldn't see his face due to the large shoulder restraints, Cas noticed that Dean was clinging to the plastic-like material with such strength that his knuckles appeared to be white. Was Dean, the man who appeared to be so tough and fearless, scared?

"Are you alright, Dean?" Castiel asked just loud enough for the other man to hear, eyebrows knitting together in concern.

"Fine." He mumbled in response, his voice almost inaudible over the noise of squealing girls and the clang of metal against metal.

Before Cas could reply they lurched to a stop, and he realized with a sudden panic exactly how real their situation was. After a few long, dreadful seconds they began to plummet towards back towards the earth. Cas squeezed the restraints in fear, his own voice joining the rest of the screams and yells around him. It wasn't long before his feet were firmly on the ground once more, but it had felt like so much longer.

Soon it reached midday, and the lines had become considerably more lengthy. The four decided that it was a good time to stop for lunch and began searching for something suitable to eat. Cas kept his eyes peeled for anything that wasn't deep fried or covered in sugar, but finding something that met his standards proved not to be such an easy task.

"Hey, I think I'm gonna get some barbeque chicken and fresh-squeezed lemonade from that booth over there." Sam piped up, pointing at a red and white tent diagonally across the street before beginning to cross.

"Ooh, that sounds good, I'll come with." Gabriel replied following close behind, leaving Dean and Cas alone.

_That's odd. Gabriel doesn't typically enjoy that kind of food…_ Cas thought for a moment, but then dismissed it. Perhaps his cousin had acquired a new taste.

"There's a joint a bit farther down that sells pizza and burgers." Dean commented, looking back at Cas standing just behind him. "Sound good?"

"Pizza sounds acceptable." He nodded. The two men continued down the street, Dean leading the way through the crowd and Cas following closely behind.

Before long they sat at the only empty picnic table they could find, Castiel picking at the veggie pizza he had spent the last of his money on and Dean taking large bites from his double cheeseburger. The pizza was good - a bit on the greasy side, but as much had been expected. After a while Cas began to wonder where Sam and Gabe had run off to, but his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Dean's voice, who had just finished off the last of his food.

"You ever tried fried cookie dough before?"

Cas blinked and looked up at him, eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "No. I don't really care for fried food much."

Dean laughed, a smile spreading across his handsome face. "Man, you need to live a little." He stood from the table, gathering his garbage in hand. "I'll be right back."

Cas watched the other man retreat, tossing the empty wrapper into a trash can before heading back towards the street. He sat alone for a while, continuing to eat at his pizza until the slice had completely disappeared. A moment longer and he would have considered going to look for Dean, but just as the thought crossed his mind the man appeared from around the corner, a small plate in one hand and two forks in another. He sat the plate in the middle of the table before handing Cas a fork.

"They're good, I promise." Dean chuckled, noticing the skeptical look Cas was giving the four large, brownish balls dusted with powdered sugar.

"If you say so…" He replied, stabbing one and bringing it to his mouth.

Dean grinned as Castiel's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't been kidding. The fried dough was delicious - just like gooey, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. It wasn't long before the entire ball had been devoured, powdered sugar dusted over his pale, pink lips.

"Those are amazing." Cas blinked, stabbing another.

"Yep." Dean agreed, taking one for himself.

After all of the food had been finished and the trash put in its proper place, the two made their way back onto the main stretch of booths. They found Sam and Gabe at one of the game tents, surrounded by a group of kids. Sam was throwing baseballs at stacks of bottles in attempt to knock them over. When Cas and Dean reached them, Sam was receiving a rather large stuffed unicorn as a prize, which he gave to a little girl that had been watching. She squealed in delight before running to her parents to show them her new friend.

"We were wondering where you two had run off to." Dean commented. The men spun around to face him in surprise, having not seen the two approaching before.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry 'bout that." Gabriel smirked, eyes twinkling. "We got a little… sidetracked."

Cas swore he saw Sam's cheeks turn a shade darker, but assumed it was the result of the warm October sun or the rush of the game and dismissed it.

"Sidetracked?" Dean asked, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Cotton Candy. Duh." Gabriel rolled his eyes, holding up the bag he had clenched in his fist as if the answer was obvious. It shouldn't have taken that long to get the candy, but they had probably spent quite a bit of time playing games as well, Cas thought.

"One day you're gonna get diabetes from all of that sugar."

"And you're gonna have a heart attack from all of those burgers."

"Shut up, Sammy."

Sam gave his brother what could only be described as a "bitch face" at the use of the nickname.

After a moment of silence Dean looked around and spotted a booth that piqued his interest. He began to walk away, yelling over his shoulder that he would be at the shooting game if anyone needed him. Curious, Castiel followed after him, eager to observe Dean's skill with a gun, even if it was fake.

Dean handed the attendant a few $1 bills from his pocket and picked up the gun, aiming at the line of cans laid out before him. Every time he pulled the trigger a can tumbled to the floor, a newly created dent in its side. Cas watched in awe, impressed by Dean's immaculate aim, even with a gun no more advanced than a toy.

The four boys met up again and walked up and down the rows of booths, stopping every now and then to play a game or two. Cas politely declined their invitations to play with them, admitting that he was out of money and would just watch. By the time they had tired of gaming - and spending money on said games - the early October sun had just begun to set along the western horizon and the crowd had died down considerably. The rides were now lit with blinking lights of all colors, creating a rather pleasing and exciting picture before them. They still had enough tickets left for two more rides, and decided that they would head back to the amusement park section of the festival before leaving for the football game.

Dean picked the first ride, having settled for whatever the others had wished to do earlier in the day. The machine appeared to be a slightly faster version of a scrambler called _The Twisted Demon_. Three cars were attached with spinning spokes on the end of one of four larger spinning spokes protruding from the center of the ride. Now this was a ride that Castiel didn't mind at all - in fact, he very much believed that this ride would really be enjoyable. This time Cas rode with Dean, and Gabriel with Sam. They climbed into cars as close together as possible, Dean and Sam sitting on the outside edge of either car as the instructions on the metal suggested.

The ride began slowly at first, but gradually picked up speed until they were zooming through the air, grinning and laughing with joy. The force of the ride pushed Castiel against Dean, despite his efforts to pull his weight off of the other man. Although Dean was the bigger of the two, Cas was not particularly small and didn't want to cause any discomfort. Not that he had any objections to being pressed against Dean.

Castiel, for once, found himself disappointed when the ride came to an end. They unloaded the cars and walked to the exit, newly found springs in their steps. For their last ride, Castiel got to pick. He spun around, looking at all there was to offer before settling on the rather large Ferris Wheel called _The Leviathan_. Though he knew the ride wasn't nearly as thrilling as the others would have hoped, Cas was willing to bet that the view from the top of the wheel was wonderful at this time of day.

Again Cas rode with Dean and Gabriel with Sam. It had actually been Gabriel's suggestion this time around. It seemed that Gabe and Sam had become quite close as the day progressed. The thought of his cousin making a new friend was enough to earn a small, happy smile from Cas.

As the wheel turned they went up and down, the cars creaking and groaning slightly as the joints holding them in place turned to keep them upright. The sound wasn't pleasant, but the view from the top made up for it, as it certainly wasn't disappointing. The twirling and twinkling lights below them were beautiful, and the sunset breathtaking. Above them the sky was painted with pink, purple, orange and red, the colors complimenting each other perfectly on the blue canvas.

However, as he looked down to gaze upon the lights below them before the wheel circled back down again, a sight caught Castiel's attention and pulled his eyes away from the scenery before them. Dean's hands on the the lap bar were white knuckled yet again, just as they had been on the drop tower. But this time Cas' view of his face was not obscured. His blue eyes traveled up the man's arm and across his shoulder before resting on the chiseled features of his perfect face, knit together as his eyes were held firmly shut.

"Dean?" Castiel asked, brows pulling together in concern as his head leaned to the side ever-so-slightly.

"Yes, Cas?" He replied, still not daring to open his eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Cas." He sighed.

At that moment they reached the top of the wheel and the ride lurched to a stop. Dean gasped and gripped the metal even tighter as their cart swung slightly to and fro.

"What's wrong?" He asked. It was obvious that the other was lying.

"I don't…" Dean began, then paused as if contemplating how to continue. "I don't like things that are this high."

"Oh." Cas blinked. Dean was afraid of heights? Never had he seen that one coming. He wasn't sure how to comfort him, though he wanted to.

"It's… It's okay, Dean. We're safe, okay?" Castiel began, placing a reassuring hand on Dean's shoulder. He thought this was the kind of thing you were supposed to do in these situations, but he wasn't really sure. "Of all the rides here, this certainly seems to be the least dilapidated…"

Dean barked a single laugh, though there didn't seem to be much humor in it. "You're not good at this whole comforting thing." Though despite his words, Cas noticed that his grip loosened a bit on the bar.

"Sorry." He pressed his lips together into a line, slightly disheartened that he hadn't said the right thing. At least he had seemed to help a little.

"Hey, at least you're trying." Dean grinned and hesitantly he opened his beautiful, green eyes, focusing them on Cas rather than the surroundings which would only remind him of their current situation.

The other man smiled back, heart fluttering for a moment. The way Dean was looking at him made his skin tingle and his stomach fill with butterflies. He wanted so much to press their lips together, but he couldn't. For one, Dean certainly would not have reacted well, and for another the Ferris Wheel had just begun moving again. The cart lurched and Dean's eyes were once again closed and his knuckles white with strain.

Cas tightened his grip on Dean's shoulder, trying his best to be there for him.

"It's okay. It's okay. It's almost over…" He cooed softly, leaning slightly closer.

When the car stopped for unloading, Dean was out of it in a flash. The poor man must have been terrified, and for that Castiel was sorry. He never would have suggested the ride had he known about Dean's fear.

Cas stepped out of the car and followed Dean down the steps, their shoes clanging against the metal. At the bottom of the staircase they stood, waiting for Sam and Gabe.

"Hey, Cas?"

Cas turned and looked up at him, head cocked to the side. "Yes, Dean?"

"Can you, um." Dean's cheeks flushed a light pink as he averted his gaze, avoiding eye contact. "Can you not tell anyone about… _that_?"

"Of course, Dean." Cas smiled softly in understanding. "It's our secret."


	8. Chapter 8

Just as Cas was really beginning to enjoy the fair, it was time to leave. Gabe and Sam climbed into the backseat of Dean's car, and if they were sitting a bit closer than necessary, well, neither of the other two men noticed. Cas leaned against the passenger side window, watching as the lights of the town flew past. The only sound to be heard in the car was a quiet rattling noise, but where it came from Cas couldn't place.

The four were much more tired than they had realized in the excitement of the fair. By the time they reached the university's football stadium Sam and Gabe had dozed off in the back. It appeared that the motion of the car, as well as their movement in sleep, had left Gabriel resting his head lazily on Sam's shoulder and likewise Sam's head was resting atop the older man's.

"Should we wake them?" Cas asked, turning in his seat to smile softly at the boys who looked so peaceful.

"Not yet, hang on." Dean shifted in his seat, allowing his hand access to the pocket of his jeans. He pulled out his cell phone and snapped a picture, probably to use as blackmail in the future, or just to embarrass his younger brother. "Now we can." He said, grinning.

Cas climbed out of the car and opened Gabriel's door. He reached across the seat and shook his shoulder gently, coaxing him out of his sleep.

Gabriel groaned softly and lifted his head, waking Sam as well. Both men seemed to be confused in their half-asleep state. That is, until they heard Dean's laughter ringing from outside of the car. Sam bolted upright, face burning a bright red - a sight that only caused Dean to laugh even more.

The younger brother slid out of the vehicle, giving Dean yet another bitchface and a half-hearted punch to the shoulder before heading towards the entrance to the stadium, teasing older brother in tow.

"Fuckin' cockblocks." Gabriel muttered under his breath as he climbed out of the car, Cas shifting out of his way.

"What?" His cousin asked in confusion, not sure that he had heard correctly.

Gabriel raised his eyebrows at the other before shaking his head with a low chuckle. "You're not very observant, little cuz." He commented, shutting the car door and heading towards the large concrete tunnel Sam and Dean had disappeared into.

Cas followed closely behind, eyebrows scrunched together and lips pursed in confusion as he thought about Gabriel's words. What was he missing?

When they reached the top of the ramp leading to the seating area, they found Sam and Dean standing with an older man, slightly taller than Dean but shorter than his larger brother. He had dark, greying, short cropped hair and the beginnings of a beard, as well as a grumpy expression about his face. Judging from general appearance and their conversation that morning in Gabriel's dorm, Castiel concluded that the man with which the Winchesters were conversing was their father.

"Dad, this is Gabriel and Castiel." Sam introduced them when they had joined the group. He gestured to each of them in turn as he named them.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Winchester." Castiel smiled softly and held out a hand for the man to shake.

"Please, call me John." The man smiled as he shook Cas' hand and then Gabriel's, but it didn't quite reach his deep, brown eyes. To Castiel they seemed rather emotionless, perhaps with just a dash of sadness hidden somewhere in the depths of his soul.

It took longer than originally expected to find five open seats grouped together, as the stadium was packed. Other than the fair, there wasn't much else to do on a Saturday night, and thus it seemed the entire Lawrence community had gathered for what was apparently the most important game of the season. Castiel knew very little about football and was confused by the conversation the other four men were having, but from what he gathered this was the match that would determine whether the school's team would advance into the next round. From what he had heard about their football team the chance of advancing seemed pretty slim, but still Cas kept a positive attitude, sparing the others' hopes of a better outcome.

Somehow, when they were finally seated, Castiel found himself between Sam and Gabriel. He felt the situation to be a bit awkward, considering he hardly knew Sam at all - the man had spent the majority of the day getting to know his brother's roommate, not Cas himself. On the other side of Sam sat Dean and then their father. They seemed to be making small talk, but their conversation was not nearly as animated as Cas would have expected from a father and son that had spent a lengthy period apart. Although, taking into account his first impression of John, this didn't seem that surprising.

Castiel took little interest in the game, only really understanding the concept of a foul and a touchdown. Of course, he cheered along with the rest of the community and his classmates when their team scored, but he didn't particularly care whether they won or loss. It was just a game, afterall.

Before long half-time had rolled around. All three Winchesters rose from their seats, claiming they were going to visit the concession stand. A few moments later they had disappeared from sight, leaving Castiel alone with his cousin.

"Hey, Cas." Gabriel piped up, turning towards the other man. "Switch me seats."

"What, why?" He asked, eyes narrowing in confusion.

"I want to sit next to Sam." He stated, looking at Castiel as if he were, well, stupid. "Why else?"

"Um, okay." Cas blinked, rising from his seat so that Gabe could move. "You two seem to be getting along quite well." He added after sitting back down again.

"Wonderfully." He smirked, winking at the other.

"Wait, you mean…?" Suddenly the pieces fit together and Castiel's eyes widened in shock.

"We got a little _sidetracked_?" Gabriel repeated his words from early that day, putting emphasis on what Cas realized now to be an obvious cover-up. "Come on, Cas, even you aren't that oblivious."

"But I thought you were-"

"I can make an exception." Gabe interrupted, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"Oh." Cas blinked, not sure what else to say. "Well, okay. If you're happy, that's what matters."

"Very." Gabriel barked out a laugh. "Sam's a better kisser than any of the girls I've dated. He does this thing where-"

"I believe whatever you are about to say is information that I don't want to hear." Castiel grimaced. He didn't need too much information about his closest relative's love life bouncing around inside his head.

Gabriel chuckled darkly. "Okay, I'll change the subject." The twinkle in his eyes set Cas on edge, worried about what he was about to say. And worried he should have been. "Seems like you want to bang my roommate pretty badly. How's that going?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Castiel responded defensively, eyes falling to his feet. Though he had succeeded in keeping his voice steady he could feel his face burning, his blush betraying his true feelings. He would be lying if claimed to have never imagined what it would be like, Dean pinning him against a wall and ravaging his mouth before throwing him onto the mattress and…. well, you get the point.

Gabriel's laughter only caused him to blush an even deeper shade of red.

"It doesn't matter anyway." Cas muttered, wishing to dismiss the subject. "Dean… Dean's straight, Gabriel."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that after what I saw on the ferris wheel." Gabe snickered.

Before Castiel had the chance to respond, the Winchester boys were back and taking their seats, each with an ice cream cone in hand. Sam seemed surprised to find that Cas and Gabriel had switched seats, but he didn't look disappointed in the slightest. Dean and his father seemed to be more cheerful than they had been when they left, which Cas took as a good sign, though he had absolutely no idea where the change in attitude had come from.

"Sam!"

Lisa appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, approaching them from behind and wrapping her arms around the boy's broad shoulders. She had a wide grin spread across her face, her dark brown eyes sparkling in the stadium lights. She appeared to be having a wonderful time, and seeing the younger Winchester just made her night all the better.

"I haven't seen you in so long!" She added, dropping her arms and ruffling Sam's shaggy hair.

"Oh, Hi Lisa!" Sam grinned back, turning in his chair to face her. "How've you been?"

"Great! College has been wonderful so far!" She giggled. "You?"

"Never better." Sam's eyes shone with such sincerity that Cas believed he had truly never been happier. Though none of the other's noticed, when he had uttered those words Sam had reached under the armrest separating himself from Gabriel and gave the man's hand a gentle squeeze before letting go, afraid his subtle action would be discovered. "You still majoring in nursing?"

"Yep!" She exclaimed proudly. "I love it! It's been kind of hard, but I've been managing. Thanks to Cas, there." She added, noticing Castiel at the end of their group and smiling at him in thanks.

"Sounds like Cas is helping everyone." Sam laughed.

Cas smiled sheepishly, cheeks becoming slightly rosy as Lisa nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"He's a genius." She praised. "I don't think there's anything he isn't good at."

"Yeah? You haven't seen him play basketball." Gabriel chimed in, laughing at the thought.

"Really? That'll have to be arranged, then." Her gaze moved from Sam to the brunette on his left, "You must be Castiel's cousin."

"Gabriel." He smiled warmly at her.

"Well it's nice to finally meet you, Gabriel." She said, returning his smile.

"Likewise."

Lisa sighed, her mood seeming to fall slightly. "I'm afraid I have to go. My parents have been waiting on me." She hugged Sam once more and requested that he come to visit more often before disappearing into the crowd.

"Who was _that_?" Gabriel asked, eyes sparkling as he stared off in the direction she had departed.

"Dean's ex-girlfriend." Sam answered.

"She didn't even _look_ at me." Dean complained, bewildered and a bit hurt.

"I don't even see how you caught her attention in the first place."

"Gabe, you little son of a bitch, I will-" Dean's threat was drowned out by the roar of the crowd as the buzzer announced the end of half-time. Suddenly the players rushed back onto the field, ready for the third quarter. Their team was losing with a score of 6 to 10, but despite this the crowd still hoped for a victory.

Though the game didn't interest him in the slightest, Cas found himself standing and cheering with the rest of Lawrence, Kansas, as he had nothing better to do. At times he could hardly hear his own voice over the whoops and hollers of the crowd. Dean and his father seemed more into the game that the rest of his companions, even to the point they began yelling at the players as if they could actually hear them, which Cas found odd.

By the beginning of the fourth quarter the University of Kansas was down 8 to 15. Castiel had given up all hope that they would pull through with a victory, not that he had had much to begin with. He sat back down and sighed, observing Dean and the others as they jumped up and down and cheered on their players. Cas wasn't sure why he hadn't resorted to this as a pastime before. In his opinion, the way Dean's muscles flexed as he moved and the way his eyes sparkled in the stadium spotlights was much more interesting to watch.

Before he knew it, the game had come to an end and the crowd had begun filtering out of the stands. By some miracle, Castiel had been proven wrong. During the time he had spent ignoring the game, they had somehow managed to pick up the slack and pull out a few more touchdowns and field goals, placing them in the lead. The coach now stood in the middle of the field with his armored players, holding a shining gold trophy high into the air as the scoreboard flashed the final standing: 16 to 15. From the side of the field fireworks were lit and shot into the air in celebration, the loud booms ringing in their ears as the sky erupted into colorful sparks and clouds of smoke.

The parking lot traffic was terrible. After the four boys had made it back to Dean's vehicle (John had ridden in his own truck and was going to meet them at the restaurant for dinner) it took a good 10 minutes just to get onto the road. Again Castiel spent the duration of the ride gazing out the window as the other young men chattered about the events of the game. He watched as the sights became less and less familiar as they traveled farther from the college campus and the buildings became more spread out and less urban. Cas had no idea where they were, but trusted Dean to get them to their destination safely.

Eventually Dean pulled off of the road and into a small parking lot in front of a large, wooden building. An illuminated sign in front of the structure claimed the name of the place to be "The Roadhouse: Bar and Grill". Through the windows Cas could see a warm light and customers laughing and eating and he could hear the sound of rock n' roll music playing. They parked next to John's truck, as he had somehow managed to beat them to the restaurant, before exiting the vehicle and following the sidewalk to the front entrance.

They found John at the end of a table he had reserved for the five of them, already beginning to sip from a mug of beer sitting before him on the table. Something about the sight caused Dean to frown, though Castiel wasn't quite sure why. He personally held a grudge against alcohol and didn't much care to drink any, but that was no explanation for Dean's behavior.

It was no surprise to Cas that his cousin automatically took the seat next to Sam, leaving the seat to Dean's side the last one unoccupied. When he sat he didn't bother to browse the menu, already painfully aware that he had depleted his funds. His stomach growled in protest, but it would have to wait until Castiel had returned to the meager stash of snacks he kept in his dorm.

They didn't have to wait long before their waitress, a young, blonde girl thin in stature and with a pretty face, appeared at the end of their table, pen and notepad in hand.

"Hey, Jo." Dean greeted her with a grin.

"Dean." She responded in a slightly flirty tone and with a smile to match. Castiel instantly wanted her to leave.

"How've you been?"

"Tired of working. Mom's been a little short staffed lately." She replied. "I've missed seeing your pretty little face around here. You haven't been in for a while." She laughed, her tone teasing. It was enough to make Castiel's skin crawl. He could feel a boiling rage building inside him, but he couldn't explain why.

"College work is a bitch." Dean shrugged in reply.

"I bet." She smirked playfully, "What can I get you boys?"

"How 'bout a beer?"

"I don't think so, Dean." The girl chuckled softly. "How 'bout a water?"

"Yeah, fine." He agreed, feigning disappointment. The others asked for water as well and Jo scampered off to fetch their drinks.

Castiel sat in silence as the others flipped through their menus and discussed their many options. The food sounded heavenly - well, other than the greasy, fattening entrees that Dean seemed to have his heart set on. Cheeseburgers seemed to be a favorite of his, Cas noticed. Again his stomach grumbled, reminding him of his growing appetite despite his efforts to push the thought away.

Within a few minutes Jo returned, balancing a tray dotted with glasses of ice water on her arm. Closely behind her followed a tall, older woman that was pretty for her age with brown, grey streaked hair and a stern yet friendly expression that reminded Cas of, well, a mother.

"Hey, John." The older woman greeted the oldest of the Winchesters, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder. "You save some beer for the rest of my men, alright?" She joked, though there was no trace of her teasing smile in her gaze. After receiving a reluctant nod, she turned her attention to the man's sons sitting on either side of him. She gave them a smile, her expression, yet again, reminding Castiel of a motherly figure. "How are ya, boys?"

"Amazing." Sam grinned in return. "Today was a ton of fun, school's going great... Absolutely nothing to complain about."

"I'm alright." Dean replied. "Life's so-so, but my team won, and that's worth something."

"Did they now? That's good to hear." The woman looked up as Jo finished setting the drinks on the table and pulled out her notepad to take their orders. "Jo, honey, I've got it. Could you go check on the boys over by the bar?"

Jo nodded with a touch of disappointment before scampering off to the other side of the restaurant.

"Who are your friends?" She asked, giving Cas and Gabe warm smiles.

"This is my roommate, Gabriel." Dean answered, nodding at the man diagonally across the table, "And this is his cousin, Castiel."

"Gabriel and Castiel." The brunette repeated with a nod. "Nice to meet you boys. I'm Ellen. 'Known these boys since they were just kids. Hope they aren't givin' you too much trouble."

"Not at all." Castiel shook his head in earnest, though his statement wasn't entirely truthful.

"I don't know." Gabriel piped up. "Sasquatch over here has been a bit of a handful."

At that Ellen let out a quiet, amused laugh. "Really now? Usually Dean is more of the trouble maker."

"True." Dean chuckled his agreement.  
>"So what can I get you boys for dinner?"<p>

They each took their turn ordering, slowly making their way around the table until finally it came time for Castiel to speak.

"Oh, I'm not getting anything." He admitted with a small, apologetic smile.

"Aw man, you gotta get something." Dean proclaimed, turning his attention to the smaller man. "The food's amazing."

"I'm sure it is, but I don't have the money to pay for it." Cas looked down sheepishly.

Dean smirked and turned to Ellen. "He'll have your finest rabbit food."

Cas blinked in surprise, looking up at the other as Ellen walked off in the direction of the kitchen. "But Dean-"

"Don't worry about it." Dean cut him off, sending him a warm smile before turning to face his younger brother and striking up a conversation.

It was a bit over an hour later when the five of them had cleaned off their plates and sat around the table talking merrily, their bellies contentedly full. Dean had not been exaggerating about the quality of the food - Castiel had come to the conclusion that the salad he had received, laden with berries and nuts and with a wonderful poppy seed dressing, was the best he had ever tasted. He immensely grateful for Dean's kindness in purchasing the food for him. He'd had to be sure to repay the favor in some for later.

"So how is college going, Dean?" John asked, his words slurring ever so slightly. He had just finished off his third beer and, in Cas' opinion, had well surpassed being just tipsy.

"Pretty good, I guess." Dean replied, his voice ever so hesitant, Cas noticed. "Calculus and physics have been easy as pie."

"Too bad you can't say the same for French." Gabriel jeered teasingly.

"Really? What's going on with French, _Dean_?" His father questioned, staring at his son with a burning intent.

"Oh, nothin' much, really." He laughed nervously, "Just having a little trouble. I'm getting better."

"Tell me the truth, _Dean._" John growled, a fire blazing to life in his ravenous eyes. His tone of voice causing Sam to freeze in fear, eyes locked on the empty plate in front of him.

"I… I'm failing." He admitted quietly. "But I have the rest of the semester to fix it and I-" Dean tried to rush out the last part, but to no avail.

"You're FAILING?" The roar of the man's voice was accompanied by the sound of his mug clattering to the floor, shattering into a dozen tiny pieces. Around them everyone fell into a shocked silence, their eyes locked on the older man now standing at the end of the table.

"Yes, but I-"

"Oh, that's just like you, isn't it Dean?" He scoffed, his rage practically tangible in the air around them. "You've always been a little piece of shit."

"Dad-"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME." The man snapped, glaring daggers at his son.

This time Dean remained silent.

John sighed, shaking his head. He chucked darkly, the sound devoid of even the smallest trace of humor. "You've always been such a huge disappointment." He slurred, gazing at Dean coldly. "What would your mother think?"

"Don't you dare bring her into this." Dean growled, rising from his chair in the blink of an eye. "Don't you dare even MENTION her. You don't DESERVE to so much as TALK about her." As he spoke his voice raised in volume and in malice, causing Castiel to cower in his chair, wide eyes locked on the pair.

"What did you just say to me?" His father blinked, utter shock spread across his features.

"You heard me." Dean snarled with white hot rage. "You don't deserve to so much as _mention her name_."

"Why, you little," John raised a fist that Castiel was sure was meant for Dean's jaw.

"_John. _That's _enough_." Ellen spoke sternly, appearing from behind and grabbing the man's wrist. "Dean, sweetheart, you and your friends go on home." She gave him a small, sympathetic smile, sorrow filling her deep brown eyes.

Dean didn't move so much as an inch, narrowed eyes still trained on his father's face.

"Dean." Sam said softly, rising from his chair and reaching across the table for his brother's arm. "Let's go."

The older man sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before nodding. "Alright, Sammy. Let's go."

Gabriel and Castiel rose silently from their seats, following the Winchesters out of the restaurant and into the cool night air. It was uncomfortably silent, even the chatter of the other customers having faded to no more than whispers. As the four climbed into the impala, only the sound of the Roadhouse's radio could be heard in the dim light.

"I-I'm sorry, Dean-o." Gabe apologized quietly from the backseat, voice full of sincerity. "I didn't-"

"It's fine, Gabe." Dean muttered, turning the key in the ignition. "It's not your fault."

No one spoke for the rest of the night.


End file.
